The Age of Chivalry eBook

Thomas Bulfinch
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 436 pages of information about The Age of Chivalry.

The Age of Chivalry eBook

Thomas Bulfinch
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 436 pages of information about The Age of Chivalry.

She entered the house and sat beside Kilwich upon the foremost bench; and as soon as he saw her, he knew her.  And Kilwich said unto her, “Ah! maiden, thou art she whom I have loved; come away with me, lest they speak evil of thee and of me.  Many a day have I loved thee.”  “I cannot do this, for I have pledged my faith to my father not to go without his counsel, for his life will last only until the time of my espousals.  Whatever is to be, must be.  But I will give thee advice, if thou wilt take it.  Go, ask me of my father, and that which he shall require of thee, grant it, and thou wilt obtain me; but if thou deny him anything, thou wilt not obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life.”  “I promise all this, if occasion offer,” said he.

She returned to her chamber, and they all rose up, and followed her to the castle.  And they slew the nine porters, that were at the nine gates, in silence.  And they slew the nine watch-dogs without one of them barking.  And they went forward to the hall.

“The greeting of Heaven and of man be unto thee, Yspadaden Penkawr,” said they.  “And you, wherefore come you?” “We come to ask thy daughter Olwen for Kilwich, the son of Kilydd, the son of Prince Kelyddon.”  “Where are my pages and my servants?  Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows, which have fallen over my eyes, that I may see the fashion of my son-in-law.”  And they did so.  “Come hither to-morrow, and you shall have an answer.”

They rose to go forth, and Yspadaden Penkawr seized one of the three poisoned darts that lay beside him, and threw it after them.  And Bedwyr caught it, and flung it, and pierced Yspadaden Penkawr grievously with it through the knee.  Then he said, “A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly!  I shall ever walk the worse for his rudeness, and shall ever be without a cure.  This poisoned iron pains me like the bite of a gad-fly.  Cursed be the smith who forged it, and the anvil on which it was wrought!  So sharp is it!”

That night also they took up their abode in the house of the herdsman.  The next day, with the dawn, they arrayed themselves and proceeded to the castle, and entered the hall; and they said, “Yspadaden Penkawr, give us thy daughter in consideration of her dower and her maiden fee, which we will pay to thee, and to her two kinswomen likewise.”  Then he said, “Her four great-grandmothers and her four great-grandsires are yet alive; it is needful that I take counsel of them.”  “Be it so,” they answered, “we will go to meat.”  As they rose up he took the second dart that was beside him, and cast it after them.  And Meneu, the son of Gawedd, caught it, and flung it back at him, and wounded him in the centre of the breast.  “A cursed ungentle son-in-law, truly!” said he; “the hard iron pains me like the bite of a horse-leech.  Cursed be the hearth whereon it was heated, and the smith who formed it!  So sharp is it!  Henceforth, whenever I go up hill, I shall have a scant in my breath, and a pain in my chest, and I shall often loathe my food.”  And they went to meat.

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The Age of Chivalry from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.